The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is the largest contemporary art event in the whole of Asia and is truly unmissable. Now in its third edition takes its name from two cities; Muziris is an ancient Port which offered harbour to merchant fleets from Greece, Rome, Phoenicia and Egypt, and Kochi. From the 15th century on Muziris was closely linked to the ‘Age of Discovery’, an era of conquest, trade, and colonialism, bearing the early seeds of globalisation. This vibrant history has inspired artists and curators to explore ideas and themes that link the shores of Kochi to the themes we inherit in our world today.

The Biennale has artists at its helm, with Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu leading the inaugural edition in 2012, Jitish Kallat curating the edition in 2014, and internationally acclaimed artist Sudarshan Shetty being appointed artistic director for 2016/17. This year, renowned artist Anita Dube took the riens; her polticially driven work has featured internationally and she co-founded the Kojh International Artists’ Association.

The Biennale is spread across numerous locations in Kochi and serves as a unique platform for the discovery of the city, reflecting several centuries of cosmopolitanism. It links the art and culture of India to emerging ideas of the world at large today, blurring the boundaries between the local and the global.

If you are interested in seeing this incredible spectacle and immersing yourself in the contemporary art of India, please contact us to start planning your trip.

Images:

Title image: Robert Montgomery’s Fado Music in Reverse at Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi

1 below: Ernesto Neto’s Life Is A River at Moidu’s Heritage Plaza, Fort Kochi

2 below : Subodh Gupta at Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi

Courtesy: Kochi Muziries Biennale